One of Switzerland's most picturesque restaurants will soon be looking for a new operator.

The Gasthaus Aescher, built into a cliff above a valley in northeastern Switzerland, has been run by the same family since 1987. It gained recognition outside the Alpine nation when it was featured on the cover of a National Geographic book of "destinations of a lifetime" in 2016.

Authorities in Appenzell Innerrhoden canton (state) said Monday that the current tenants, Nicole and Bernhard Knechtle-Fritsche, are giving up the lease at the end of the 2018 season.